Developmental Biology and Reproduction

How are myriads of different cells made, organised into
tissues, arranged in the correct places and co-ordinated functionally
to form an animal? These are fundamental questions that research into
developmental biology seeks to address. They are important not only for
understanding how the body is made but also for our understanding of
diseases, since inappropriate activity of developmental components is
at the root of cancers and degenerative disorders. Within the
department we are investigating many aspects of development, including
how cells are genetically and epigenetically programmed to become
different, how cells talk to one another, how cells respond to signals
to migrate or to send out long processes, how cells assemble and
re-arrange to make tissues and how cells mature and differentiate as
their functions change with age. We use a wide range of approaches to
investigate these questions; from genetics and genomics, to
sophisticated cell biology and imaging, to physiological measurements
in whole organisms. As models we study diverse animals, including
invertebrates as well as vertebrates, to find out how these fundamental
processes are controlled and co-ordinated.

Each different tissue type in the body has its own
characteristics and poses particular challenges for our understanding
of development. One strong interest in the department is in the nervous
system, whose complexity and long-distance wiring are a major
developmental feat. We are investigating how different types of neural
populations are programmed to produce the correct number of cells in
the right place and how their axons navigate over long distances and
then make synaptic connections with specific target cells. A second
interest is in germ cell (egg and sperm) development. These unique
cells are the precursors for all cells in the body and we are
unravelling what genetic and epigenetic components contribute to their
unique properties. In addition, populations of cells, such as germ
cells and neural stem cells, have the capacity to self-renew and are
potentially an important therapeutic tool for the future. Several
groups are endeavouring to understand the self-renewal properties of
stem cells and what regulates their differentiation into different cell
types. A third major research interest is in mammalian development and
the processes that control and co-ordinate the interactions between the
developing animal and its mother that lead to the delivery of viable
young. In particular, we are studying the role of genomic imprinting
and environmental signals in programming intrauterine development with
particular emphasis on the interaction between genes, cells, tissues
and organs in the control of physiological systems. These studies have
important implications for pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia and
intrauterine growth retardation and for the early life origins of adult
disease.